❓ Hon Charles Smith questions the Minister for Water regarding the lack of plans and funding to extend the Bullsbrook water supply scheme to properties affected by PFAS contamination west of Bullsbrook. The Minister responds that the Commonwealth is responsible for resolving PFAS issues and funding any scheme extension.
AnsweredQoN 1129Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SOIL AND WATER
CONTAMINATION — WEST BULLSBROOK
1129. Hon CHARLES SMITH to the minister representing the
Minister for Water:
I refer to the integrated water
supply scheme, which provides drinking water to Bullsbrook and RAAF Base
Pearce.
(1) Can the
minister explain why, despite per-fluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances
contamination being widely known by state and federal governments, there are no
plans or funding to extend the Bullsbrook water supply scheme to those
properties affected by PFAS contamination to the west of the current Bullsbrook
town site?
(2) Will the
minister now fast-track those residents currently not attached to mains scheme
water in west Bullsbrook onto scheme water?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
CONTAMINATION — WEST BULLSBROOK
1129. Hon CHARLES SMITH to the minister representing the
Minister for Water:
I refer to the integrated water
supply scheme, which provides drinking water to Bullsbrook and RAAF Base
Pearce.
(1) Can the
minister explain why, despite per-fluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances
contamination being widely known by state and federal governments, there are no
plans or funding to extend the Bullsbrook water supply scheme to those
properties affected by PFAS contamination to the west of the current Bullsbrook
town site?
(2) Will the
minister now fast-track those residents currently not attached to mains scheme
water in west Bullsbrook onto scheme water?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
The Minister for Water has provided the following information.
(1)–(3) The
resolution of PFAS-related issues is a matter for the commonwealth, as the
commonwealth caused the contamination. State environmental laws have limited
application to commonwealth land, and state agencies have limited line of sight
to the investigation, remediation and mitigation practices of federal agencies.
The Water Corporation is liaising with consultants appointed by the appropriate
commonwealth departments to provide advice on scheme water options for the west
Bullsbrook area. If the scheme is to be extended to west Bullsbrook in order to
mitigate the impacts of PFAS contamination, this would need to be funded by the
commonwealth.
The Minister for Water has provided the following information.
(1)–(3) The
resolution of PFAS-related issues is a matter for the commonwealth, as the
commonwealth caused the contamination. State environmental laws have limited
application to commonwealth land, and state agencies have limited line of sight
to the investigation, remediation and mitigation practices of federal agencies.
The Water Corporation is liaising with consultants appointed by the appropriate
commonwealth departments to provide advice on scheme water options for the west
Bullsbrook area. If the scheme is to be extended to west Bullsbrook in order to
mitigate the impacts of PFAS contamination, this would need to be funded by the
commonwealth.
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